


Unrelated, But Family All the Same

by shinewithalltheuntold



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, dragon outlaw queen family, lily and ruby friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 09:20:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7634758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinewithalltheuntold/pseuds/shinewithalltheuntold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robin and Lily might not be related, but they are definitely family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unrelated, But Family All the Same

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Oparu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/gifts).



> This is for Oparu, who requested dragon outlaw queen family and a reunion kiss. Established Regina/Robin/Maleficent romantic relationship.

Robin wasn’t sure what it said about his life that coming home just shy of midnight and finding a werewolf and a dragon sitting on the sofa eating ice cream and discussing the inaccuracies of werewolf portrayals in the Land Without Magic was probably the _least_ strange part of his day.

“Hey, Robin,” Lily called out casually. Ruby, who had just taken a huge bite of ice cream, simply waved at him with her spoon. “Mom left a plate in the fridge for you.”

She grinned and held out the spoon to him. “Unless you want to skip straight to the ice cream. I know how much you love chocolate chili.”

Robin smirked. His distaste for Mal and Lily’s dessert of choice was well known in their household. “I appreciate the offer, but no.”

“I don’t blame you,” Ruby chimed in, having finally swallowed her spoonful of what appeared to be Rocky Road. His favorite, and just seeing it made him realize how hungry he was. “I don’t know how she eats that crap.”

“Hey!” Lily protested in mock dismay. “Dragon taste buds need to keep things spicy, okay?”

Ruby rolled her eyes and shoved another bite of ice cream in her mouth. Robin grinned widely. The friendship between Lily and Ruby had been unexpected to everyone, even them, but it was turning out to be a good thing for both women. Ruby had some experience with transforming into a dangerous and feared creature, and had been a wonderful support for Lily as Mal slowly taught her how to control her dragon self. And Ruby delighted in the stories of all the various places Lily had visited in the Land Without Magic and the people she had met there. Plus, Lily’s past experience as a waitress made her a sympathetic ear for Ruby when the customers at Granny’s became too annoying. The two women once had a contest to see who had the best “worst customer story”; ironically, Ruby won thanks to the drunken escapades pulled by Lily’s mothers when Maleficent was first resurrected.

“So are things all settled down now?” Ruby asked. “Everyone retreat to their respective corners in the woods?”

Now it was Lily rolling her eyes. “What she means is, is Mulan still out there having to threaten people with her sword?”

Ruby glared at Lily, stretching out one long leg and kicking her friend’s arm. Lily laughed even as she was forced to set her ice cream container on the coffee table before it tipped over onto the sofa. 

Ruby’s relationship with Mulan was not a secret in town, but between Ruby’s disastrous past dating experiences and Mulan’s natural reticence, neither was overly comfortable discussing their romance with others. Robin didn’t begrudge them that; he still remembered the stoically heartbroken woman who had joined his company in the Enchanted Forest and he was simply happy that Mulan had found someone to care for and who cared for her in return. Because just like Ruby and Lily’s friendship, Ruby and Mulan’s love was something good and right and wonderful to behold.

With that in mind, Robin took pity on poor Ruby. “Things are settled for the time being, and Mulan has sheathed her sword and was preparing to return to her room at Granny’s when last I saw her.”

Ruby’s answering grin was blinding in its brilliance. She shoved off the blanket draped haphazardly over her legs and bent over looking for her shoes. Lily did not seem to mind Ruby’s sudden enthusiasm to leave; she simply reached out and plucked the open ice cream container from Ruby’s hand and set it next to her own before picking up the remote and stopping the already forgotten movie.

Ruby shoved her feet into her…what did Henry call them? Ah, yes. _Chuck’s_ …and stood. Leaning down, she wrapped Lily in a hug, ignoring how Lily instinctively tensed up, still unused to such easy physical affection. Robin watched as she took a quick breath and let her muscles loosen as she returned the hug.

“Thanks for the ice cream. Rain check on finishing the movie?”

“No problem.” Lily grinned mischievously. “Enjoy your night. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Well, that leaves me with a lot of options, doesn’t it?” Ruby retorted. She surprised Robin with a quick kiss to the cheek as she made her way to the door. “Night, guys.”

Robin followed her to the door, watching as she practically skipped down the path. He was tempted to follow her home, to make certain she arrived safely, but he doubted she would appreciate his company. 

He felt a rush of warmth along his arm as Lily came to stand beside him; the girl ran as hot as her mother, but it was a comfortable heat. He glanced down and found she was also watching her friend as Ruby began to make her way down the street.

“She’ll be fine,” Lily reassured him. “Wolf’s time or no, Ruby is more than capable of taking care of herself.”

“Yes, I suppose she is.” He smiled softly. “Much like yourself.”

Lily met his gaze then, and there was something so soft and vulnerable in her eyes. She made his heart ache sometimes, this daughter of the women he so dearly loved. An innocent girl forced to bear a darkness not her own, lost in a world that could not possibly understand her. And now she was here, with two mothers who loved her fiercely and two brothers who adored her. With friends, old and new, who supported her. And with him. Not quite a father, not exactly a friend, but family nonetheless. It overwhelmed her, this newfound clan of hers, and she still didn’t trust it completely. But every day that she stayed, every day that _they_ stayed with _her_ , the walls lowered and they were all treated to the remarkable woman underneath all those defenses.

Unable to help himself, he reached out and tangled his fingers with hers and was rewarded with a shy smile. She squeezed once and then began to pull away, and he offered no resistance.

“You should eat your dinner,” Lily suggested as she made her way back to the sofa. She grabbed Ruby’s discarded blanket and began to fold it. 

“Actually,” he said as he trailed behind her, “I think perhaps that rocky road is my dinner preference of choice. Although I would enjoy it more if I did not have to eat alone.”

She ducked her head, but not before he saw the grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. She shrugged a shoulder. “I guess I could keep you company.”

“Excellent.” He reached down and plucked Ruby’s spoon from the container of half melted chocolate, peanut, and marshmallow. “I’m going to clean this off and get a glass of water. Would you like anything?”

“I’ll take a refill, yeah.” She handed him her almost empty cup. “Do you want to watch some Planet Earth?”

He smiled. “I’d be delighted. Perhaps the one with the…what are the small black and white birds that Roland finds so amusing called?”

“Penguins.” There was laughter in Lily’s voice; no doubt she was remembering Roland’s first introduction to the birds. He had wandered around the house for hours waddling with his arms at his sides, mimicking the strange new creatures that so sparked his imagination.

“Yes, penguins,” Robin nodded. “Perhaps the penguins?”

“Penguins it is.” She picked up the remote and began pushing the complicated set of buttons that brought up the ‘Netflix’, buttons which he despaired of ever mastering. He turned and started towards the kitchen when she called out to him. Her voice was strangely hesitant and he turned back in concern. 

He startled when he realized she had moved forward and was now right in front of him. He was even more startled when she quickly rose up on her toes and, like Ruby had a few minutes prior, leaned in and kissed his cheek.

It was no more than a second, and she backed quickly away. He stood, staring at her dumbfounded. Lily rarely initiated shows of physical affection outside of Henry and Roland. And with Henry, it was mostly because he was beginning to get embarrassed by such displays and she took delight in playing the role of annoying big sister. As for Roland, well, he had yet to find someone who could resist his boy’s dimpled grin and eager affections. She was starting to warm up to her mothers, Mal much more so than Regina, but even the latter had been surprised with a goodnight hug not long ago. (Regina had begun crying as soon as their bedroom door closed, and Mal and Robin had spent most of the night sharing her joy and soothing her ever present guilt with soft words and softer kisses.)

But Robin had never received more than a friendly nudge of the shoulder when she was trying to get into the refrigerator and he stood her in way. Affection of this sort was unheard of, and yet there it was. He knew he should let it go, should not press her for an explanation lest it make her uncomfortable, but his curiosity would not let him move from his spot.

Lily’s own cheeks pinked endearingly; she tucked a stray hair behind her ear and said softly, eyes never leaving the floor, “I…I just…” she raised her head and met his gaze. “We missed you. I’m glad you’re home.”

He couldn’t have stopped the grin that spread across his face for anything as he looked at this amazing woman. This darling, precious girl.

“So am I.” He thought about saying more, but he could see her discomfort increasing so he simply turned and resumed his trek to the kitchen, the smile never leaving his face.

The house had never felt as much like a home as it did in this very moment, and he was so very glad to be there indeed.


End file.
